Mail-bag delivering and catching device.



No. 888,284. PATENTBD MAY 19, 1908. J. H. WHITAKER.

MAIL BAG DELIVERING AND CATGHING DEVICE.

ABPLIOATION FILED 00:. 26.1907.

JAMES I-IAMER WHITAKER, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

MAIL-BAG DELIVERING AND CATCHING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed October 26, 1907. Serial No. 399,363.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES Hanna Winni- KER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Delivering and Catching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail bag delivering and catching devices whereby mail bags can be safely transferred between moving trains and stations along the road over which the trains pass.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character which is composed of comparatively few parts, which is inexpensive to manufacture and install, and thoroughly reliable and ellicient in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of mail and bag delivering apparatus comprising a pivotally mounted frame adapted to move on a downwardly inclined guide attached to a suitable support at a station or to the side of a car, the frame having an arm on which the mail bag is supported, there being a weight for balancing the arm in such a manner as to permit the armto swing when the mail bag is caught in a catching device so that the bag will drop off the arm without damage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means in connection with the supporting frame whereby the arm can be thrown into a vertical position close to the side of the car or other support for the delivering apparatus.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described here inafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a front view mail bag delivering device partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the hook on the extremity of the bag-supporting arm. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the bearings for the bag-supporting arms- Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the bearing for the inner end of the arm. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of thebag-catching device.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to the drawing, A designates a support which may be a post or other structure at a mailing station along a railroad or the side of a mail car, as shown in Fig. 2, which is provided with a door 1. A bracket B is secured to the support A and is formed with a semi-circular way, guideway or rail 2 which is inclined slightly to the horizontal and to the center of gravity of the guideway is a post 3 mounted on a bracket. Pivoted on the post 3 is a rectangular frame 0 that has its outer end bearing on the rail 2 so as to slide over the same. Mounted on the frame C and movable therewith is a bag-supporting arm D in the form of a rod that has a shank portion 4 journaled in bearings on the frame C so as to turn, the portion 5 of the rod extending outwardly from the frame C being bent out of line with the shank 4 and has its extremity bent into a hook 6. On the shank are fixed collars 7 which cooperate with the bearings S and 9 to prevent longitudinal movement of the arm and at a point between the collars is a right angularly disposed member 10 that is provided with an adjustable weight 11 for holding the arm with the mail bag supported therefrom in set position. The bearing 8 on the outer end of the frame C is provided with a hinged cap 12 that is locked in normal position by the bolt 13, Fig. 4, and the bearing 9 includes a collar 14 that receives the inner end of the shank, and the collar is formed with pintles 15, whereby the arm D can be raised sufficiently, when the cap 6 is swung open, to free the outer collar 7 from the bearing 8 when it is desired to remove the arm D, it being understood that arms of different lengths are intended to be used so that a car can deliver mail to a catcher at a station, according to whether the train travels on the track next to the platform or on the second track. In other words, when the train is traveling on the first track, a short arm will be employed, whereas when the train is traveling on the second track, a longer arm will be used. Attached to the inner end of the shank 4 is a handle or grip 16 whereby the arm can be readily manipulated for swinging the same into position for receiving a bag from the car and into set position. The mailbag E is provided with a ring 17 for suspending the bag on the arm of the delivering device and the arm has a slanting groove 18, Fig. 3, for receiving the ring, and for holding the ring in such a position as to permit it to readily disengage from the hook 6 when the arm turns, and attached to the arm is a hook-shaped stop 19 which prevents the bag from sliding inwardly on the arm when the latter turns.

A catching device F, Fig. 6, comprises a frame adapted to be mounted on the platform or other suitable support at the mailing station or on a mail car, and the frame is in the form of a curved member 20 supported on legs 21, the frame constituting a mouth into which the lower end of the bag passes so as to be caught therein.

In ractice, the arm D is swung to the dotte line position shown in Fig. 2, and the mail clerk on the car hangs the bag on the extremity of the arm and then swings the same to the position shown in full lines, the weight 10 being adjusted so that the bent portion 5 will extend laterally from the axis of the shank 4. As soon as the bag is caught in the catching device F, the movement of the train will cause the bag to pull on the arm D which will swing the outer portion 5 downwardly so that the hook 6 thereof will point in the direction opposite from that in which the train is traveling and the ring 17 can be slipped off the hook. As the arm turns, the groove 18 will causethe ring to turn to the dotted line osition shown in Fig. 3, so that it will reach y slip off the hook 6. When the delivering device is not in use, it can be swung close to the side of the car so as to be out of the way.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

1 Having thus described the invention, what I claim is I 1. In a mail bag delivering device, the combination of a supporting structure, a pivoted frame thereon, a bag-supporting member mounted on the frame, means for ermitting the member to move to a position for dropping a mail bag when the said'bag is caught, and a weight connected with the -member for maintaining the arm in either holding or discharging position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a bracket, a rail thereon, a frame movable on the rail, an arm movably mounted on the frame and movable therewith, and means for holding the arm in a position to retain a bag and ada ted to permit the arm to move when a pul is exerted on the bag.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a circular rail thereon, a pivoted frame bearing on the rail, an arm mounted on the frame to turn, and means connected with the arm for holdin thelatter in a position to retain a bag and adapted to permit the arm to turn for discharging the bag.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting structure, a rail thereon, a swinging frame slidably bearing on the rail, an arm removably mounted on the frame and having its outer portion bent out of line with its inner portion, a hook on the extremity of the arm, and an adjustable means for holding the arm in a position to cause the hook to retain a mail bag and to permit the arm to turn to throw the hook to releasing position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting structure, a pivoted frame thereon, a member removably mounted on the frame and adapted to turn, said member having its outer portion disposed at an angle to its inner portion, a hook on the outer extremity of the member, and an adjustable weight connected with the arm for holding the same together with the bag thereon in set position and adapted to permit the arm to turn for releasing the bag.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting structure, a

- frame mounted thereon to turn on an approximately vertical axis, an arm mounted on the frame to turn on an approximately horizontal axis, means for removably supporting the arm on the frame, a bag-holding device on the arm depending upon a turning movement of the latter to release the bag, and means connected with the arm to maintain the latter in its normal bag-holding position or in its bag-releasing position.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame mounted to turn on an approximately vertical axis, an approxi-' mate y horizontal arm outstanding therefrom, bearings on the frame for removably holding the arm on the latter and for permitting the arm to have a partial rotary movement, a member rigidly connected with the arm, a weight on the member for holding the arm in either of its extreme positions, and means on the arm for releasably suspending a mail bag with the bottom of the latter unsupported.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES HAMER WHITAKER.

Witnesses:

NELLY T. DONOHUE, LYDIA E. WHITAKER. 

